Biden ripped for brushing off border visit: 'Shocking statement'
‘Outnumbered’ panel discusses President Biden’s response to Fox News that ‘there are more important things’ than visiting the southern border
President Joe Biden said Tuesday he had "more important things" to do than visit the southern border during his trip to Arizona.
The "Outnumbered" panel discussed the president's remark to Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy's question and the administration's handling of the border crisis after more than 73,000 "gotaways" were reported for the month of November.
Fox News contributor Marc Thiessen said Biden's statement is "shocking," as Biden has yet to visit the southern border during his nearly two years as president.
"We've had 1 million gotaways, 4 million encounters at the border. We've got fentanyl pouring in over over over the border, which is causing untold deaths in this country. It's fueling crime because a lot of the crime spike in cities like in New York and other places far away from the border."
BIDEN DEFENDS SKIPPING BORDER VISIT WHILE IN ARIZONA, SAYS THERE ARE ‘MORE IMPORTANT THINGS’
The White House in statement to Fox News Digital, said President Biden is working to secure the border but is also focused on the U.S. economy.
"The President was clear that his top priority is investing in the American economy and in American communities, out-competing China, and bringing back American jobs from overseas. In fact, as Fox News’ own analysis showed, the economy is the top issue for most Americans," the statement said. "If anyone believes that shouldn’t be the President’s top priority too, they should say that out loud. Of course, the President is also taking action to secure our border and build a fair, orderly, and humane immigration system. He’s secured more funding than all of his predecessors to support the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, put forward a comprehensive immigration reform proposal, and brought 20 world leaders together to jointly manage the migration challenge impacting the entire Western Hemisphere.
"President Biden is focused on real solutions, not political stunts. And if border security is such a top priority for Republican officials, voting against President Biden’s request for record funding for the Department of Homeland Security, as Representative Roy did, is an odd way to show it."
"Outnumbered" co-host Emily Compagno said, "I can't imagine what is more callous, what's more disheartening, than having your commander-in-chief stand there with an umbrella obscuring half his face and saying, your lives are not important to me. But that's exactly the message that President Biden was sending."
Compagno cited the toll that the border crisis has had on officials at the border and why this statement from Biden was disheartening.
"What is so frightening and aberrant to me, even more so than that, is the fact that in November, three different Border Patrol agents took their own lives, setting a record for that for the Border Patrol," she said, arguing that Biden is sending a message to Border Patrol agents that their lives "do not matter."
Thiessen said the situation at the border is a "real crisis," pushing back on the White House accusing Republicans of "political stunts" at the border.
Texas DPS said about 50 illegal immigrants were found in a junkyard tractor trailer in Webb County and turned over to Border Patrol. Five adult males who initially exited the big rig were apprehended. (Texas DPS)
"The Story" anchor Martha MacCallum called out the administration for claiming the border is "closed," while falsely accusing Border Patrol agents of "whipping" migrants.
"Anybody who has watched any of this video knows that that is a lie. The border is not closed," she said, questioning why the president would not go on a bipartisan visit to the border now that the midterm elections have passed.
"That would be leadership," co-host Harris Faulkner responded.
Both Republicans on Capitol Hill and the Border Patrol Union raked the president over the coals for the comments, saying he is not doing his job and is instead burying "his head in the sand."
The crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border has only grown more severe under Biden's administration, with border crossings breaking new records each month.
National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd said Biden "cares more about politics than our children."
"Nothing is more important than the safety and security of the American people, but to President Biden it is an afterthought," Judd told Fox News' Bill Melugin.
"With a record number of people and drugs, including deadly fentanyl, crossing our border illegally and evading apprehension, it is apparent Biden cares more about politics than our children, friends and neighbors. Biden’s record clearly proves he cares about politics, not about doing his job of protecting American lives."
Fox News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
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